Overhead door operator



Oct. 24, 1967 c. A. HASHAGEN OVERHEAD DOOR OPERATOR 5 Sheets-Sheetv 1Filed Dec. 17, 1965 I NVENTOR. CLAUDE A. HASHAGEN 1967 c. A. HASHAGENOVERHEAD DOOR OPERATOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 17, 1965 INVENTOR.

1957 c. A. HASHAGEN 9 3 OVERHEAD DOOR OPERATOR Filed DeC. 17, 1965 5Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. CLAUDE A. HASHAGEN United States Patent3,348,336 OVERHEAD DOOR OPERATOR Claude A. Hashagen, 638 N. CrescentHeights Blvd., Los Angeles, Calif. 90048 Filed Dec. 17, 1965, Ser. No.514,604 8 Claims. (Cl. 49200) Generally speaking, the present inventionrelates to apparatus for pivotally-mounting and for power-moving a door(usually a garage door, although not specifically so limited in allforms of the invention) from a lower substantially vertical closedposition where it closes a doorway or driveway into a garage, into anupper substantially horizontal open position where it leaves the doorwayor driveway into the garage completely open for the entry and/ or exitof one or more motor vehicles.

At the present time, there are various types of garage doors. However,one widely-used type of garage door comprises one large rigid door ofsubstantially rectangular shape eifectively pivotally mounted foreffective pivotal movement around a horizontal axis from a lowervertical position across a doorway or driveway into a garage into anupper horizontal position underlying the roof of the garage andpositioned at a height greater than that of the top of a motor vehicleso that it will in no way interfere with the entry or exit of a motorvehicle. The present invention is concerned with this latter type ofgarage door and garage-door-mounting apparatus when a conventionalcontrollably operable powered dooroperating system is installed in thegarage for use in conjunction therewith for causing the garage door tobe automatically power-lifted from the lower vertical closed positioninto the upper horizontal open position when an appropriate signal istransmitted to the powered dooroperating system and adapted, uponreceipt of a second appropriate signal, to cause the garage door to beoperated by the powered door-operating system for movement from theupper open position into the lower closed position.

Various types of such prior art powered door-operating apparatuses orsystems exist and, in certain cases, they are adapted to be remotelyoperated by a sonic or radio transmitter carried by a motor vehicle sothat the driver thereof may merely activate same for causing the garagedoor to be automatically opened when he wishes to drive into the garageor to be automatically closed after he has driven out of the garage.

In other forms of such powered door-operating systems, the controlsignal for initiating either type of operati0n-that is, eitherdoor-opening operation or doorclosing operationmay be controlled fromone or more manually operable switches such as a key-operated switch onthe outside of the garage, a pushbutton or other switch located insideof the garage, and/ or a similar pushbutton or other type of switchlocated at one or more other convenient locations such as on the backporch, or the like. It will be understood that this latter type ofarrangement makes it possible for a person to cause the garage door toopen or close by merely operating the pushbutton switch on his backporch, or this may be accomplished by walking out to the garage,inserting a key into the key-operated switch, and turning same. Thiswill cause the garage door to open, and the person may then get into hismotor vehicle and drive same out of the garage. After he has done this,he may then get out of his car and turn the key-operated switch andcause the garage door to close and be effectively permanently lockedagainst the unauthorized entry thereinto.

When the driver is returning home, he may drive up to the closed garagedoor, get out of his car, and insert his key into the key-operatedswitch and operate same 3,348,336 Patented Oct. 24, 1967 so as to causethe garage door to automatically open. Then the driver may drive his carinto the garage and may either leave the garage through the open largegarage door and close it by operating the exterior key-operated switch,or by waiting until he reaches the back porch of his house and thenoperating the pushbutton switch there for closing the garage door,.orthe driver of the motor vehicle may close the garage door while he isstill inside of the garage by operating the interiorly located switch.In this latter case, he may leave the garage by a small personal-exitdoor and thus not again need to elevate the large garage door by thepowered door-operating apparatus.

One major disadvantage which I have found to exist in connection withthe use of the above-mentioned prior art type of powered door-operatingapparatus with the above-mentioned prior art type of effectivelyhorizontally pivotally mounted garage door lies in the fact that thepowered door-actuating apparatus normally comprises a controllablyreversible upper motor-driven garage-doortop-inward-moving device which,when it is intended to open the garage door, applies an inward pullingforce to the top edge of the pivotally-mounted garage door and whichconventionally has a frictional drive which very often slips unless itis tightened to a degree such as to greatly increase the wear on theapparatus and the likelihood of damage occurring thereto. This is madenecessary because of the fact that the conventional kind of hardwarenormally employed for mounting such a garage door for effective pivotalmovement around an effective horizontal axis is not designed for, norintended for, an arrangement where the door-opening force comprisesinward tension applied to the top edge of the door but is intended foroperation where the door-opening force comprises an outward and upwardforce applied to the bottom edge of the door. Thus, because of thisfactor, excessive loading occurs on the motor-driven door-operatingapparatus and, as pointed out above, since this is usually africtional-drive type of apparatus, the extent of the frictionalengagement must be increased to an unreasonably high value if theapparatus is to be capable of starting the very first portion of theopening movement of such a garage door when it is closed, and thisexcessive value of friction causes very rapid wear to the apparatus andmay actually bend the drive shaft or the idler roller shaft of thedriving apparatus and result in damage thereto requiring early repair orreplacement.

The above-mentioned prior art type of powered dooroperating apparatus,in one form thereof, is provided with lamp means electrically connectedin circuit therewith in a manner such as to be energized whenever themotor of the powered door-operating apparatus is energized in adoor-opening direction, and said lamp is adapted to remain energizeduntil the conclusion of the next succeeding energization of the motoroccurs, which will, of course, be an energization thereof in adoor-closing direction, thus providing interior illumination within thegarage whenever the garage door is being, or has been, opened and priorto its closing by the powered dooroperating apparatus. Of course, anoverriding switch may be provided for deenergizing the lamp if it isdesired to maintain the door open for a substantial period of time.

The novel apparatus of the present invention completely meets andovercomes the above-mentioned prior art disadvantage because iteffectively converts such an upper motor-drivengarage-door-top-top-inward-pulling device into what might be termed aneffective lower garage-door-bottom-outward-pushing-and-lifting device,thus effectively modifying the powered door-operating apparatus into anapparatus applying lifting force to the door in an optimum mannersimilar to that conventionally 3 V applied by a person who approachesthe door from the outside, grasps the handle, which is at a relativelylow location on the front surface of the door, and then applies upwardand outward lifting force thereto.

I have found that when such a conventional powered door-operatingapparatus is coupled to the door through the novel coupling apparatus ofthe present invention, the adjustment of the frictional force betweenthe driving roller and the idler roller of the motor-driven drivingapparatus may be reduced substantially, in some cases to a level ofapproximately one-quarter of the force which would otherwise be requiredto open the door by applying inward tension directly to the top of thedoor in the conventional prior art manner. Of course, this substantialreduction in the required frictional driving force minimizes wear on theapparatus and the necessity for frequent repairs or replacement ofvarious parts thereof. ,With the above points in mind, it is an objectof the present invention to provide a novel coupling apparatus of thecharacter referred to herein, which has any or all of the advantagesreferred to herein and which includes any or all of the featuresreferred to herein generically and/or specifically and individually orin combination low cost whereby to be conducive to widespread use thereof.

as exemplary of, but not specifically limiting, the present invention),and said objects will be apparent to persons skilled in the art after acareful study of the detailed description which follows hereinafter.

land which is of extremely simple, inexpensive construc-' tion adaptedfor ready mass manufacture at relatively For the purpose of clarifyingthe nature of the present invention, it is illustrated in conjunctionwith two exemplary types of pivotal door-mounting hardware, as shown inthe hereinbelow-described figures of the accompanying two sheets ofdrawings, and is described in detail hereinafter.

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view taken substantially on the plane 11 of FIG.3 and shows in section a conventional garage door of the type referredto above in its closed position and shows in side elevation aconventional powered door-operating apparatus or system of the ingsimplification and clarity.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view takensubstantially along the plane indicated by the arrows 27-} of FIG. 1 andclearly shows one exemplary form of the substantially centrallypositioned pivotal interconnection of the lever means and thelever-mounting means which together comprise the novel coupling means ofthe present invention,

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary interior three-dimensional pictorial perspectiveview of the closed garage door of FIG. 1, the powered door-operatingapparatus of FIG, 1, and

the novel coupling means of the present invention also shown in FIG. 1.In this view, certain portions of the garage and structure mounting thepowered door-operating apparatus are not shown for reasons of drawingsimplicity and clarity.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to a left portion of FIG. 1, but with thepivotal door-mounting hardware of FIGS. 1

:and 2 removed for reasons of drawing simplicity and clarity so that thenovel coupling means comprising the present invention can be shown moreclearly in both a pro-operated position and in a position immediatelysubsequent thereto after tension has been applied to the upper end ofthe coupling means as a result of controllable eniergization of thedriving motor means of FIGS.. 1 and 3. This view is drawn to a somewhatlarger scale than FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary three-dimensional pictorialperspective view of the clevis or yoke type fastening or connectionmeans of the novel coupling means of the present invention carried atthe top of the lever means thereof for attaching it to thelongitudinally reciprocable rack-like member of the conventional powereddoor-operating apparatus.

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of a slightly different type ofdoor-mounting means for mounting a conventional garage door (shown insimplified cross-sectional form) for effective pivotal movement aroundan effective horizontal axis and shows the novel coupling means of thepresent invention employed for coupling the conventional powereddoor-operating apparatus to the conventional garage door when mounted bythis modified type of door-mounting hardware. Also, in this view thegarage door is shown in open position rather than in closed position asin the preceding views.

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 but illustrates the door, themodified type of door-mounting hardware, and the novel couplingapparatus comprising the present invention, all in the positions whichthey assume when the garage door is closed.

FIG. 8 is an electrical schematic view illustrating one exemplary formof the invention.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged sectional view of the safety switch meansillustrated diagrammatically and schematically in FIG. 8 and shows it insection behind the plane of a retaining end cap or washer, which is notshown.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary, partially-broken-away perspective view of thesafety switch means of FIG. 9 and further illustrates the same.

Generally speaking, one exemplary form of the invention is illustratedin FIGS. 15 inclusive in conjunction with a first exemplary type ofprior art pivotal doormounting hardware and will be referred tohereinafter as the first form of the invention, although it should beunderstood that actually the coupling means of the present invention isthe same in said first form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. l-5inclusive and in a socalled second form of the invention illustrated inFIGS. 6 and 7, wherein the only thing that differs from the first formof the invention is the pivotal door-mounting hardware.

In said so-called first form of the invention, a conventional garagedoor is generally designated by the reference numeral 10 and iseffectively pivotally mounted for movement between a lower verticalclosed position, such as is clearly shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, and an uppersubstantially open position generally similar to that illustrated inFIG. 6 of the so-called second form of the invention, and this pivotalmounting is provided through .operating apparatus, such as is generallydesignated by the reference numeral 14, which may 'be said toeffectively comprise an upper motor-driven garage-door-top-moving device(actually, a top inward-pulling device when the garage door 10 is to belifted, and the reverse when the garage door 10 is to be lowered).

The powered door-operating apparatus, generally designated at 14,compirses a reversible electric motor such as is indicated at 16 andwhich is carried by the drive housing H.

Said reversible electric motor 16 is adapted to rotate a frictionaldrive roller 18 in one direction or the other which alternates upon eachsucceeding electrical energization thereof as initiated bysucceeding-closures of any of the three electrical switch means 20, 22,and/or 24, which are best shown-in FIG. 8. It will be noted that theswitch 20 is adapted to be operated by a key K placed within the keyhole26 of a rotary key slot containing lock cylinder 28 normally carried ina tamper-proof housing or box such as is shown in phantom at 30' on theoutside front wall of a garage at any suitable location such as theexemplary one indicated by the reference numeral 31. In other words, theswitch 20* can only be temporarily closed by inserting the key into thehole or slot 26 and turning the key for a short period of time longenough for the starting relay coil 32 to become energized whereby toclose the corresponding normally open starting relay switch elements 34and 34, which will, in turn, energize the motor 16 and cause the garagedoor to either be power-lifted or power-lowered. It will be noted thatthe key-operated switch 20 is springbiased into open position and that,as soon as torque is removed from the key in the key-hole 26, the switch20 opens. However, this does not de-energize the motor 16, which remainsenergized because the holding transformer, generally designated at 36,has its primary 36P energized by reason of the previously-mentionedclosure of the relay switch element 34', which causes the secondary 36Sof said holding transformer 36 to be energized and to maintainenergization of the previouslymention starting relay coil 32 even afterthe previously temporarily closed switch 20 has been opened. Thiscondition of energization of the motor 16 will continue until the door10 has been fully power-lifted into an open relationship similar to thatshown in FIG. 6, or fully power-lowered into a closed relationship suchas shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, at which time the on and off and reversingswitch means, generally designated by the reference numeral 38, will beeffectively operated by a corresponding one of the two switch operatingmembers 80 and 40 carried by the longitudinal connecting member 42. Thiswill momentarily de-energize both the starter relay coil 32 and theholding transformer 36 and will thus allow the starting relay switchelements 34 and 34' to open under the action of the biasing spring means44. At the same time that this occurs, the starting and reversing switchmeans 38 will effectively reverse the polarity applied to the startingwinding 46 of the motor means 16 so that upon the next energizationthereof, caused by the next closure of any one of the switches 20, 22,24, and/or 55, the motor 16 will be driven in the opposite door-movingdirection. This will be described in greater detail hereinafter.

It should be noted that after initiation of a powered door-lifting ordoor-lowering operation, as described hereinbefore, the key is thenremoved from the slot 26. This provides a tamper-proof arrangement forcausing power-lifting or power-lowering the door 10 by the powereddoor-operating apparatus 14 from the exterior of the garage door 10 andof the garage 48 pivotally mounting said garage door 10.

It will be noted that the switch 22 connected in parallel with thekey-operated switch 20 described above, may merely comprise any manuallyoperable, normally-open switch such as a pushbutton switch, or the like,adapted to be operated by a pushbutton such as is indicated at 50 inFIGS. 3 and 8 and which may be positioned inside of the garage,generally designated by the reference numeral 48, so that a personstanding inside of the garage 48 can cause the power-lifting orpower-lowering of the garage door 10 by the powered door-operatingapparatus 14.

The third electrical switch shown electrically schematically at 24 inFIG. 8 is normally a remote switch and it may comprise one or more suchremote switches normally connected in parallel with each other and ofthe normally-open type and located at any desired remote locations fromwhich it is thought desirable to be able to initiate operation of thepowered door-operating apparatus 14.

For example, one such switch 24 might be located inside of the backporch of a house adjacent to the garage 48 so that the garage door 10can be caused to be autoparked his car within the garage 48 leaves thegarage and reaches the back porch, where said auxiliary operating switch24 is located. However, the switch 24 may be located at any desiredlocation and, as pointed out hereinbefore, there may be any desirednumber of such auxiliary operating switches similar to the one shown at24 in FIG. 8.

It should also be understood that in lieu of the three switches 20, 22,and 24 described above with particular reference to FIG. 8, theapparatus may be provided with a signal-receiving transducer of a sonictype, a radio type, or any other suitable type (such as is generallyindicated in phantom at 52), adapted to receive an appropriate signalfrom a nearby but physically separated transmitter (which might becarried by a motor vehicle, for example) and to transduce same into anelectrical signal fed into the relay 53 for closing the switch 55 (whichis connected in parallel to switches 20, 22, and 24) and to, therefore,be functionally equivalent to any of said parallel connected electricalswitches 20, 22, and/or 24 for initiating operation of the powereddoor-operating apparatus 14.

It should also be noted that the electrical circuit means,

generally designated at 54, of the powered door-operating apparatus 14,is of an exemplary type only and is not to be construed as specificallylimiting the invention to the particular arrangement illustratedschematically in FIG. 8. However, for purposes of clarification, thespecific exemplary, but non-limiting, arrangement of FIG. 8 will now bedescribed in detail.

An AC power source is connected to the input terminals of two inputpower leads 56 and 58, the lead 56 connecting through thepreviously-mentioned relay switch element 34, when it is held closed bythe relay starting coil 32, to one end of the running winding 60- of themotor 16. The other power lead 58 extends through a fuse 62 to the otherend of the running winding 60 of the motor 16.

Also connected across the power leads 56 and 58 is thepreviously-mentioned optional signal-receiving transducer, which isshown in phantom at 52, although this component may derive its powerfrom any other convenient power source, if desired, and as pointed outabove may be eliminated entirely since it is an optional means forstarting the powered door-operating apparatus 14 by means other than theswitches 20, 22, and 24.

The previously-mentioned energizing and motor reversing switch 38effectively comprises a toggle-type doublepole double-throw switch whichhas its two different positions indicated by the solid and dotted linearrows, respectively, in FIG. 8.

In the solid-line position of the arrows of the switch 38, saidenergizing and motor reversing switch 38 connects the power leads 56 and58 to two additional leads 64 and 66, which lead to thepreviously-mentioned starting winding 46 of the motor 16, the lead 64including in series the previously-mentioned relay switch element 34'which is normally open except when held closed by thepreviously-mentioned starting relay coil 32.

When the energizing and motor reversing switch 38 is in the solid-lineposition shown in FIG. 8, the lamp 68 is also connected across the powercircuit comprising the power leads 56 and 58 and is therefore energized.

In the condition just described, the motor 16 is connected so as to beenergized in a door-closing direction for effectively lowering andclosing the previouslymentioned garage door 10.

When the switch elements of the energizing and motor reversing switch 38are in the alternate dotted-line position of FIG. 8, the conections ofthe power leads 56 and .58 to the leads 64 and 66 are reversed and alsothe lamp means 68 is effectively shorted-out of the circuit. Thisreversal of polarity of the leads 64 and 66 going to the 7 motor winding46 reverses the direction of the next energization and the next rotationof the shaft of the motor 16 which occurs subsequent to the nextmomentary operation of any one of the previously-mentioned switches 20,22, 24 and/or 55.

Starting and holding circuits are generally designated by the referencenumerals 70 and 72, respectively, and are energized by a startingtransformer 74 and the previously-mentioned holding transformer 36, theprimaries of each being connected between the previously-mentioned leads64 and 66, but the connection of the previously-mentioned primarywinding 36F of the holding transformer 36 to the lead 64 being effectedat a point on the side of the previously-mentioned and normally openstarting relay switch element 34' between it and the starting winding 46of the motor 16 so that it is only energized when said starting relayswitch element 34 is held closed by the starting relay coil 32. Saidstarting and holding circuits 70 and 72 both contain the starting relaycoil 32 in common.

Also included in the holding circuit 72 is a safety switch, generallydesignated by the reference numeral 76, which will be described insomewhat greater detail later but which in general may be said to alwaysnormally be closed except when slippage of the hereinbefore-referredtodrive roller 18 occurs with respect to the hereinbefore mentionedconnecting member 42. In other words, the safety switch 76 is normallyclosed except when the door is not being moved at all or is being movedwith a Very substantial degree of slippage occurring at the frictionalcontact engagement of the drive roller 18 with respect to theinterconnecting member 42. When this occurs, the safety switch 76temporarily opens and effectively deenergizes the motor 16 and stops thecomplete apparatus until a subsequent re-energization thereof occurs bymomentary operation of any of the previously-mentioned switches 26, 22,24 and/ or 55.

In other words, normally the safety switch 76 is closed and the holdingcircuit 72 is a closed circuit. The starting circuit 70 includes allthree of the previouslymentioned parallel connected starting switches20, 22, and 24 and also the optional phantom line relay switch means 55adapted to be closed by the previously-mentioned signal-receivingtransducer 52 and relay 53, which are also optional.

If we assume first that the energizing and motor-reversing switch 38 isin the dotted line position of FIG. 8, the garage door 10 is closed andthe lamp 68 is dc-energized and off. The motor 16 will not operatebecause the relay switch elements 34 and 34 are in open position. Whenany one of the starting switches 20, 22, 24 and/ or 55 is momentarilyclosed, the starting circuit 70 will be closed and thus will beenergized through the starting transformer 74. Starting relay coil 32will then close the relay switch elements 34 and 34', thus applyingpower to the main field or running winding 60 of the motor 16 and thestarting winding 46 thereof and also to the primary '36P of the holdingtransformer 36. Thus, holding circuit 72 will be energized and will holdthe starting relay coil in an energized condition which will maintainthe starting relay switch elements 34 and 34 closed even after thestarting switch 20, 22, 24 and/or 55 is released.

With both the running winding 60 and the starting winding 46 of themotor 16 energized in the manner just described, said motor 16 willoperate in a garage dooropening direction until the energizing andreversing switch 38 is thrown from one position (the dotted-lineposition of FIG. 8) into another position (the solid-line position ofFIG. 8). This will be caused by abutment of the previously-mentionedforward switch-operating member 40 with the operating member 84 of thetoggle switch 38 positioned in the rearward path of travel thereof.Incidentally, it should be noted that in order to prevent any damage tothe toggle switch 38, it may be resiliently mounted so that contact ofthe front switch-operating 8, element 40 therewith in the manner justdescribed (and also the later-described oppositely directed andoppositely operating contact therewith of the rear switch-operatingelement will not damage the toggle switch 38.

It will be noted that in FIG. 8 when the switch 38 is thrown from thedotted-line position thereof into the solid-line position thereof, theconnection of the circuit leads 64 and 66 with respect to the two mainpower input leads 56 and 58 is momentarily broken. When this occurs, thestarting transformer 74 and the holding transformer 36 and the startingrelay coil 32 are all de-energized, thus permitting relay switchelements 34 and 34 to open. Then when the switch 38 completes its throwso that the primary of the starting transformer 74 is energized, nofurther action will take place until any one of the starting switches20, 22, or 24, or the relay switch 55 operates to again close thestarting circuit 79. It should also be noted at this point that the lamp68 is now connected across the circuit and is fully energized and on.

In the relative position of the various elements of the circuit of FIG.8 as described above .in the preceding paragraph, the garage door 10 isnow open and the leads to the starting winding 46 of the motor 16 arepositionally reversedthat is, they are now reversed into a doorclosingor door-lowering relationship. However, the motor 16 will not operateuntil a further signal is received in the optional signal-receivingtransducer 52 or until a further actuation of any one of the startingswitches 20, 22, or 24 occurs for the purpose of bringing about apowered lowering and closing of the door 10.

In the event that the garage door 10 encounters an obstruction duringthe period of its opening or closing, the previously-mentioned safetyswitch 76 effectively opens the holding circuit 72 and thus de-energizesthe complete apparatus until the next succeeding energization thereof byany of the starting switches 20, 22, or 24 or receipt of an appropriatestarting signal by the optional signal-receiving transducer means 52.

The detailed structure of the normally-closed safety switch 76, which isadapted to open only when slippage of the drive roller 18 occurs withrespect to the connecting member 42-in other words, when the relativerate of rotation of the drive roller 18 and an underlying idler roller82 occursis not illustrated in detail in this application beyond theschematic showing of FIG. 8 and the fragmentary enlarged showing ofFIGS. 9 and 10 since various safety switches have been developed in thepast and since the major inventive concept of the present inventionrelates primarily to the novel coupling means illustrated at 88 in thefirst form of the invention as one example thereof.

In addition to the features of the exemplary form of the powereddoor-operating apparatus 14 described above, it should be noted that theswitch elements 84 of the previously-mentioned combination energizingand motorreversing switch 38 may be said to effectively comprise limitswitches having a common toggle-type operating member specificallydesignated by the reference numeral 84' and positioned on the exteriorof the housing H, as 15 best shovm in FIG. 1 at 84', for operation bythe previously-mentioned and corresponding front and rearswitch-operating projections 40 and 80 carried by thepreviously-mentioned connecting member 42 which, in the exampleillustrated, takes the form of a longitudinal inverted U-shaped channelmember and which comprises a part of the powered door-operatingapparatus 14, with said switch-operating projection 84' being sopositioned as to be automatically hit whereby to correspondingly operatethe switch elements 84 of the switch 38 from either the solid-lineposition of FIG. 8 into the dotted-line position thereof, or vice versa,when the door 10 is either all the way down in closed position, as shownin FIGS. 1 and 3,,or is all the way up in open position, as shown inFIG. 6. In either case, the corresponding operation of said switchelements 84 by the striking of the corresponding ones of saidswitch-operating projections 80 and 40, respectively, against thetoggle-operating element 84' of the switch means 38 will temporarilydeenergize the motor 16 and stop the rotation of the shaft thereof andof the driving roller 18.

It will be understood that the arrangement described above provideselectrical circuitry which will energize the motor 16 for rotation in anopposite direction from its preceding rotation on each succeedingenergization thereof. However, it should be clearly understood that thearrangement illustrated in schematic form in FIG. 8 is merely onearrangement capable of doing this and, actually, a great many otherarrangements capable of doing this are also possible and may be employedwith the novel coupling apparatus of the present invention.

1n the exemplary arrangement illustrated, the frictional drive roller 18of the powered door-operating apparatus 14 frictionally engages theoutside surface of the inverted U-shaped channel member 42, which hasthe lower opposed idler roller 32 forcibly engaged within the invertedU-shaped channel 42 in direct forcible opposition to the drive roller18, whereby to provide a desired degree of frictional engagement of thedrive roller 18 relative to the longitudinal connecting arm comprisingsaid inverted U-shaped channel member 42.

The degree of said frictional engagement can be adjusted by rotating afriction-adjusting handle 86, and it is normally found, when the powereddoor operating apparatus 14 is employed without the novel coupling meansgenerally designated at 88 of the present invention, that thefriction-adjusting knob or handle 86 must be set to provide a very highdegree of friction if the door is to be moved from the fully-closedposition shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 toward an open position such as shown inFIG. 6.

The maximum frictional engagement requirement of the drive roller 18 andthe idler roller 82 relative to the inverted U-shaped channel 42 appearsto be right at the beginning of the door-opening movement from thefullyclosed position of the door 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. Suchadjustment of the friction to such a maximized value in order to avoidslippage of the drive roller 18 on the channel 42, creates greatlyincreased wear on both the drive roller 18 and the idler roller 82 and,in addition, the forces required are of a magnitude such as to lead toearly bending of the drive shaft carrying the drive roller 18 (and/orthe shaft carrying the idler roller 82), which then requires earlyrepair and/or replacement.

However, through the use of the novel coupling means 88 of the presentinvention, the frictional adjustment of the friction-adjusting handle 86may be reduced to provide much lower levels of force between the driveroller 18, the idler roller 82, and the intervening inverted U- shapedchannel 42to such low levels, in fact, as to minimize wear and anylikelihood of bending of the shafts occurring in the undesirable mannermentioned above.

The invention proper comprises the novel coupling means 88 and it willbe noted that, in the exemplary arrangement illustrated, said couplingmeans 88 comprises a longitudinal lever means, such as is generallydesignated at 90, and a lever-mounting means, such as is generallydesignated at 92, effectively and usually substantially centrallypivotally interconnected by horizontally directed pivot pin means 94 andwith the lever means 90 being completely free of any connection relativeto the lever-mounting means 92 except that provided by the pivot pinmeans 94 and with the lever-mounting means v92 being rigidly and firmlyconnected with respect to an inside surface 96 of the door 10 bysuitable fastening means, such as the plurality of wood screws 98extending through corresponding apertures 100 in the co-planar baseportions 102 of the two L-shaped extrusion members 104 (sometimes knownas angle irons) which together comprise the lever-mounting means,generally 10 designated at 92 in the exemplary form of the inventionillustrated.

Each of said angle irons 104 is fastened by the fastening screws andapertures 98 and so as to have the rearwardly directed parallel flangeportions 106 thereof laterally spaced apart and vertically directedalong a substantial length of the inside surface 96 of the centralportion of the door 10, with said flanges 106 effectively defining whatmight be called channel means and being spaced apart a distance onlyslightly greater than the width of a web portion 108 of the exemplarytype of lever means generally designated by the reference numeral 90. Itis said web 108 of the lever means 90 which carries an aperture 110 atabout the middle of the vertical height thereof through which thepreviously-mentioned horizontal pivot pin 94 passes in addition topassing through corresponding apertures 112 at similar locations of saidflanges 106 of the lever-mounting means 92, where it is retained by acotter pin or key 114.

The lever means 90 in the exemplary form of the invention illustratedcomprises a resilient member which is substantially T-shaped incross-section, as is perhaps best shown in FIG. 2, and which comprisesin addition to the previously-mentioned longitudinal web member 108, aperpendicularly positioned longitudinal cap member 116 which normallylies in a vertical plane perpendicular to both said web member 108 andsaid two spaced flanges 106 and spaced slightly rearwardly therefrom andsubstantially parallel thereto, as is perhaps best shown in FIG. 2.

-The :upper end of the lever member 90 is provided with pivotalattachment and connection means, such as is generally designated at 118,which is adapted for connection to the forward end of the longitudinaldriven connection or effective rack member 4-2 comprising thepreviously-mentioned inverted U-shaped channel driven by the driveroller 18 of the motor 16.

In the exemplary form illustrated, said attachment and connection means118 takes the form of a clevis o-r yoke type of attachment andconnection means having a pair of spaced or bifurcated arms 120 adaptedto have the forward end 122 of said connection member 42 positionedtherebetween and adapted to have a pivot pin 124 transversely passedtherethrough and retained by a cotter pin or key 126.

The attachment or connection means 118 is fastened by suitable fasteningscrews 128 to the upper end of the cap 116 of the lever means 90 so thatoperation of the motor 16 in a direction such as to causecounterclockwise rotation of the drive roller 18 as viewed in FIG. 1will apply tension to the upper end of the lever means 90, by way of theattachment and connection means 113,

and will mOVe it from the solid-line position shown in FIG. 4 toward thebroken-line position shown in FIG. 4.

This effective movement of the upper portion 90U of the lever meanstoward the broken-line position shown in FIG. 4 effectively causes alower portion 90L thereof to apply increasing outward and upward forcein the direction of the arrow 130 of FIG. 4 to a bottom portion 132 ofthe door 10 for effectively facilitating the outward and upward movementthereof, and the corresponding movement of the complete garage door 10,from a closed position such as is shown in FIGS. 1 3, and 4 into an openposition such as is shown in FIG. 6. This is accomplished much moreefiiciently by the use of the novel coupling means 88 of the presentinvention than would be the case by the direct application of pullingforce in the direction of the arrow 134 of FIG. 4 if it were applieddirectly to the top edge 136 of the door 10 as has heretofore been thecase in conventional prior art practice.

The door-lowering operation is the reverse of that just described inconnection with the door-lifting operation and it is thought that adetailed description thereof would be redundant.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate the same coupling means 88 of applicants novelinvention as that illustrated in FIGS. 1-5, but in this case the pivotaldoor-mounting means is somewhat different and is designated by thereference numeral 12'. However, it is functionally the same in that itmounts the door for movement between a lower vertical closed position,such as is shown in FIG. 7 and which is similar to that previouslyillustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, and an upper open position as clearlyshown in FIG. 6 and which is analogous to that assumed by the door ofFIGS. 1, 3, and 4 mounted by the earlier type of hardware 12 when saiddoor is in open position.

It should be noted that the type of drive arrangement illustrated in theexemplary form of the invention as comprising a frictional drive roller(preferably having a rubber exterior or other frictional outer surface)and the opposed idler roller 82 (also preferably having a rubber outersurface or other frictional exterior) is exemplary only and theinvention is not to be construed as being specifically limited to such adriving arrangement. Actually, a great variety of different types ofdriving arrangements may be employed for bringing about movement of theconnecting member 42 which may also be modified substantially within thebroad scope of the present invention.

Additionally, it should be noted that the electrical circuitryillustrated in FIG. 8 is also exemplary only and is not to be construedas limiting the invention specifically thereto and it is to be clearlyunderstood that it may be modified substantially within the broad scopeof the present invention.

The exemplary form of safety switch generally designated in schematicform at 76 in FIG. 8 and shown fragmentarily and partially in section inmuch larger form in FIGS. 9 and 10, will now be briefly described, asfollows.

The drive roller shaft 138 includes an off-center crank pin or eccentricwhich may take the simple form of a machine screw 140 although it maytake various other forms also. On either side of the pin 140 extend thelegs of a Wobbler element 142 formed of an insulating material andloosely pivoted about the idler roller shaft 144. The Wobbler element142 mounts a terminal 146 projecting perpendicularly therefrom a shortdistance below the legs of the Wobbler element 142.

It will be understood that the drive roller shaft 138 and idler rollershaft 144 extend beyond the broken-away ends thereof shown in FIG. 10,and that the drive roller shaft 138 is adapted to be provided with meanscoupling it to the previously-mentioned motor 16 for positively drivingsaiddrive roller shaft 138, and it should be further understood that thebroken-away portions of said drive roller shaft 138 and idler rollershaft 144 carry the previously-mentioned drive roller 18 and idlerroller 82, respectively, exterior of the previously-mentioned housing H.The structural detail of the parts just referred to are not illustratedin FIGS. 9 and 10 since they have previously been referred to and do notdirectly pertain to the safety switch 76, which is now being described.

With the arrangement referred to above, rotation of the drive rollershaft 138 by the motor 16 will cause the Wobbler element 142 to swingback and'forth over a small are due to the off-center camrning action ofthe pin 140 on the legs of the Wobbler element 142. This motion causesthe terminal 146 to reciprocate over a small given distance at a rateproportional to the rotational speed of the drive roller shaft 138.

The adjacent idler roller shaft 144 is provided with a substantiallyU-shaped conductive strip 148 whose loop end or bight is of somethingmore than 180 degrees of angular extent and extends around and is infrictional contact with something more than a ISO-degree portion of I aninsulating sleeve 150, which is fixed to the idler roller shaft 144. TheU-shaped conductive strip 148 is biased inwardly to an extent such as tofrictionally grip the insulating sleeve 150 but to, nevertheless, permitfrictional slippage between itself and the sleeve when torque in excessof a predetermined amount is applied thereto.

The legs of the conductive strip 148 extend laterally from the idlerroller shaft 144 in general parallelism with one another on oppositesides of the terminal 146, as shown in both FIGS. 9 and 10 and arespaced a distance apart greater than that given distance necessary toaccommodate the maximum excursion reciprocatory action of said terminal146 when the Wobbler element 142 is in action.

The electrical holding circuit 72 of FIG. 8 is completed through theconductive strip 148 and the terminal 146 when either one leg or theother of said conductive strip 148 is in contact with the terminal 146.Careful consideration of the showing of FIGS. 8, 9, and 10 makes itquite obvious that when the drive roller shaft 138 is turning in aclockwise direction, the idler roller shaft 144 will be turning in acounterclockwise direction due to the motion of the previously-mentionedelongated channel member 42 of FIGS. 1 and 3. The conductive strip 148is, therefore, continuously urged to the left due to the frictionalforces exerted thereon by the insulating sleeve 150 turning with theidler roller shaft 144. The right hand leg of said conductive strip 148will, therefore, perpetually stay in contact with the terminal 146throughout the reciprocatory motion of said terminal, as is clearlyshown in FIG. 8.

Similarly, when the drive roller shaft 138 is turning in acounterclockwise direction, the idler roller shaft 144 is turning in aclockwise direction and the left-hand leg of the conductive strip 148will perpetually stay in contact with the terminal 146.

The insulating sleeve 158 serves not only to insulate the conductivestrip 148 from the idler roller shaft 144, but also provides a suitablefrictional surface.

Now, if an obstruction is encountered by the garage door 10, thelongitudinal movement of the channel member 42 will be slowed or evenstopped. This will not affect the rotation of the drive roller shaft 138because the shaft is driven by the motor 16 and the drive roller 18 willsimply slip on the channel member 42. However, the speed of the idlerroller shaft 144 will depend on the decreased or stopped motion of thechannel member 42 since the idler roller 82 is driven thereby. Thus,when the rotational rate of the idler roller shaft 144 slows or changeswith respect to the drive roller shaft 138, the legs of the conductivestrip 148 will not stay in contact with the terminal 146 since thereciprocatory motion of the latter is greater than the rate of turningof the idler roller shaft 144, which tends to urge one leg or the otherof the conductive strip 148 into contact with the terminal 146. Theterminal 146 and the conductive strip 148 thus become momentarilyseparated, as is most clearly shown in FIG. 9, and effectively open theholding circuit 72 of FIG. 8, which deenergizes the previously-mentionedholding relay coil 32 and allows the switch elements 34 and 34' to openwhereby to de-energize and stop the motor 16.

However, it should be noted that the safety switch 76 is not in thestarting circuit 70 of FIG. 8 and, therefore, closing of any of thestarting switches 20, 22, 24, and 55 will start the motor 16 goingagain, although in the opposite direction, if the channel member 42 isfree to move, the idler roller shaft 144 will again move the conductivestrip 148 will not stay in contact with the terminal 146 close theholding circuit 72.

The above-described U-shaped contact strip 148 and oscillating contactor terminal 146 may be regarded as a differential sensing means Whosebehavior is governed by both the drive roller shaft (through theoscillation of the terminal 146 by the crank pin on the drive rollershaft 138) and the idler roller (through friction drive from the sleeve150 on the idler roller shaft 144) in such a Way as to sense anyvariation or difference in the ratio of the speed of the idler roller 82to the speed of the drive roller 18 and to maintain a closed circuitcondition of the hold- 13 ing circuit 72 of FIG. 8 with a normal ratioof idler roller speed to drive roller speed and to effector bring aboutan open circuit condition of said holding circuit 72 of FIG. 8 upon anyvariation or decrease in said ratio.

It should be understood that the figures and the specific descriptionthereof set forth in this application are for the purpose ofillustrating the present invention and are not to be construed aslimiting the present invention to the precise and detailed specificstructure shown in the figures and specifically described hereinbefore.Rather, the real invention is intended to include substantiallyequivalent constructions embodying the basic teachings and inventiveconcept of the present invention.

I claim:

1. Coupling apparatus for effeceively converting an upper motor-drivengarage-door-top-inward-pulling device into a lowergarage-door-bottom-outward-pushing-andlifting device, comprisinglongitudinal lever means and lever-mounting means adapted to bevertically mounted along and fixedly attached to an inside surface of agarage door of a type effectively horizontally pivotally mounted formovement between a lower vertical closed position and an uppersubstantially horizontal open position and provided with an uppercontrollably reversible motordriven garage-door-top-moving device forforcibly moving said garage door from said closed position into saidopen position, and vice versa, said lever-mounting means and said levermeans being provided with horizontally directed pivot pin meanseffectively pivotally interconnecting same for relative rotation of saidlever means with respect to said lever-mounting means around ahorizontal axis, said lever means being provided with a pivotalattachment and connection means for connection to the forward end of alongitudinal driven connection member of an upper controllablyreversible motor-driven garage-door-top-moving device for forciblemovement rearwardly of said attachment and connection means whereby toforcibly move an upper portion of said lever means above the level ofsaid horizontal pivot pin means rearwardly in a manner such as to causea lower portion of said lever means to efiectively apply increasingoutward and upward force to a garage door bottom for efiectivelyfacilitating movement of the garage door from a closed position to anopen position, and vice versa, upon reversed driving operation of theupper motor-driven garage-door-top-moving device.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said horizontally directedpivot means is positioned substantially half-way between top and bottomends of said lever means and said lever-mounting means.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said levermounting meanscomprises a vertical longitudinal effective channel means including apair of substantially parallel laterally spaced rearwardly directed andvertically longitudinally extended flanges provided with fastener meansfor firmly fastening same to the inside surface of a garage door.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said levermounting meanscomprises a vertical longitudinal effective channel means including apair of substantially parallel laterally spaced rearwardly directed andvertically longitudinally extended flanges provided with fastener meansfor firmly fastening same to the inside surface of a garage door, saidlever means comprising a longitudinal member including a longitudinalweb member portion positioned between said flanges defining saideffective channel means of said lever-mounting means and furtherincluding a longitudinal cap member portion lying in a vertical planesubstantially perpendicular to that of said longitudinal web memberportion and normally positioned slightly rearwardly spaced from andsubstantially parallel to rear edges of said flanges defining saideffective channel means of said lever-mounting means.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said levermounting meanscomprises a vertical longitudinal effective channel means including apair of substantially parallel laterally spaced rearwardly directed andvertically longitudinally extended flanges provided with fastener meansfor firmly fastening same to the inside surface of a garage door, saideffective channel means comprising a pair of longitudinal extrusions ofthe type commonly referred to as angle irons having substantiallyL-shaped cross-sectional configurations including co-planar baseportions and laterally spaced, rearwardly directed flange portions.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said levermounting meanscomprises a vertical longitudinal effective channel means including apair of substantially parallel laterally spaced rearwardly directed andvertically longitudinally extended flanges provided with fastener meansfor firmly fastening same to the inside surface of a garage door, saideffective channel means comprising a pair of longitudinal extrusions ofthe type commonly referred to as angle irons having substantiallyL-shaped cross-sectional configurations including co-planar baseportions and laterally spaced, rearwardly directed flange portions, saidlever means comprising a longitudinal resilient member substantiallyT-shaped in cross-section including a longitudinal web member portionpositioned between said flange portions and further including alongitudinal cap member portion lying in a vertical plane substantiallyperpendicular to that of said longitudinal web member portion andnormally positioned slightly rearwardly spaced from and substantiallyparallel to rear edges of said flange portions.

7. Coupling apparatus for effectively converting an upper motor-drivengarage-door-top-inWard-pulling device into a lowergarage-door-bottom-outward-pushing-andlifting device, comprising: agarage door of a type adapted to be effectively horizontally pivotallymounted for movement between a lower vertical closed position and anupper substantially horizontal open position and provided with an uppercontrollably reversible motor-driven garage-door-top-moving deviceincluding a longitudinal driven connection member; and longitudinallever means and lever-mounting means vertically and substantiallycentrally mounted along and fixedly attached to an inside surface ofsaid garage door, said lever-mounting means and said lever means beingprovided with horizontally directed pivot pin means effectivelypivotally interconnecting same for relative rotation of said lever meanswith respect to said lever-mounting means around a horizontal axispositioned substantially half-way between top and bottom ends of saidlever means and said levermounting means, said lever means beingprovided with a pivotal attachment and connection means for connectionto the forward end of said longitudinal driven connection member of saidupper controllably reversible motordriven garage-doop-top-moving devicefor forcible movement rearwardly of said attachment and connection meanswhereby to forcibly move and resiliently deflect an upper portion ofsaid lever means above the level of said horizontal pivot pin meansrearwardly in a manner such as to cause a lower portion of said levermeans to effectively apply increasing outward and upward force to abottom portion of said garage door, by way of a lower portion of saidlever-mounting fulcrum means attached to said garage door bottomportion, for effectively facilitating movement of the garage door fromsaid closed position to said open position, and vice versa, uponreversed driving operation of the upper motor-drivengarage-door-top-moving device.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein said levermounting meanscomprises a vertical longitudinal efiective channel means including apair of substantially parallel laterally spaced rearwardly directed andvertically longitudinally extended flanges provided with threadedfastener means firmly fastening same to the inside surface of saidgarage door, said effective channel means comprising a pair oflongitudinal extrusions of the type commonly referred to as angles ironshaving substantially v 3 3,348,336 r 15 k 16 L-shaped cross-sectionalconfigurations including 60- References Cited planar base portions andlaterally spaced, rearwardly di- UNITED STATES PATENTS rected flangeportions, said lever means comprising alon- 197 gitudmal resilientmember substantially T-shaped in crOss- 2054735 9/1936 A Sqmth r 49section including a longitudinal web member portion po- 5 2,752,1506/1956 Rchmond et 49-499 X sitioned between said flange portions andfurther including FOREIGN A EN a longitudinal cap member portion lyingin a vertical plane substantially perpendicular to that of said longi-1118416 3/1956 Francemdinal Web member and many PSitined DAVID J.WILLIAMOWSKY Primary Examiner, slightly rearwardly spaced from andsubstantially parallel l0 7 to rear edges of said flange portions. KARLBELL, ASSl-Yfani Examiner.

1. COUPLING APPARATUS FOR EFFECTIVELY CONVERTING AN UPPER MOTOR-DRIVENGARAGE-DOOR-TOP-INWARD-PULLLING DEVICE INTO A LOWERGARAGE-DOOR-BOTTOM-OUTWARD-PUSHING-ANDLIFTING DEVICE, COMPRISINGLONGITUDINAL LEVER MEANS AND LEVER-MOUNTING MEANS ADAPTED TO BEVERTICALLY MOUNTED ALONG AND FIXEDLY ATTACHED TO AN INSIDE SURFACE OF AGARAGE DOOR OF A TYPE EFFECTIVELY HORIZONTALLY PIVOTALLY MOUNTED FORMOVEMENT BETWEEN A LOWER VERTICAL CLOSED POSITION AND AN UPPERSUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTALLY OPEN POSITION AND PROVIDED WITH AN UPPERCONTROLLABLY REVERSIBLE MOTORDRIVEN GARAGE-DOOR-TOP-MOVING DEVICE FORFORCIBLY MOVING SAID GARAGE DOOR FROM SAID CLOSED POSITION INTO SAIDOPEN POSITION, AND VICE VERSA, SAID LEVER-MOUNTING MEANS AND SAID LEVERMEANS BEING PROVIDED WITH HORIZONTALLY DIRECTED PIVOT PIN MEANSEFFECTIVELY PIVOTALLY INTERCONNECTING SAME FOR RELATIVE ROTATION OF SAIDLEVER MEANS WITH RESPECT TO SAID LEVER-MOUNTING MEANS AROUND AHORIZONTAL AXIS, SAID LEVER MEANS BEING PROVIDED WITH A PIVOTALATTACHMENT AND CONNECTION MEANS FOR CONNECTION TO THE FORWARD END OF ALONGITUDINAL DRIVEN CONNECTION MEMBER OF AN UPPER CONTROLLABLYREVERSIBLE MOTOR-DRIVEN GARAGE-DOOR-TOP-MOVING DEVICE FOR FORCIBLEMOVEMENT REARWARDLY OF SAID ATTACHMENT AND CONNECTION MEANS WHEREBY TOFORCIBLY MOVE AN UPPER PORTION OF SAID LEVER MEANS ABOVE THE LEVEL OFSAID HORIZONTAL PIVOT PIN MEANS REARWARDLY IN A MANNER SUCH AS TO CAUSEA LOWER PORTION OF SAID LEVER MEANS TO EFFECTIVELY APPLY INCREASINGOUTWARD AND UPWARD FORCE TO A GARAGE DOOR BOTTOM FOR EFFECTIVELYFACILITATING MOVEMENT OF THE GARAGE DOOR FROM A CLOSED POSITION TO ANOPEN POSITION, AND VICE VERSA, UPON REVERSED DRIVING OPERATION OF THEUPPER MOTOR-DRIVEN GARAGE-DOOR-TOP-MOVING DEVICE.